Study: Florida Leads The Nation In Length Of Jail Sentences

June 6, 2012

The time Florida prisoners spend behind bars has grown dramatically – more than in any other state, according to a study released Wednesday by the Pew Center on the States.

The report, “Time Served: The High Cost, Low Return of Longer Prison Terms,” examined data from 35 states amounting to 89 percent of the prison releases in 2009, and found that Florida saw a 166 percent increase in the average prison sentence over the previous 20 years, costing taxpayers $1.4 billion in 2009.

Drug-related sentences rose 194 percent during the 20-year period, from an average of 0.8 years to 2.3 years. Sentences for violent crimes increased from 2.1 years to 5 years, or 137 percent – again, the highest in the study.

Florida’s perch at the top of the study was largely attributed to two factors: the 1995 “Truth in Sentencing” law requiring inmates to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences, and the “10-20-Life” law establishing minimum mandatory sentences for crimes involving firearms.

A companion analysis found that some nonviolent prisoners could have been released up to two years earlier; it examined nonviolent offenders released from Florida, Maryland and Michigan in 2004, concluding that many could have served sentences between three months and two years shorter with no threat to public safety: 14 percent of all offenders released in Florida, 18 percent in Maryland, and 24 percent in Michigan.

By The News Service of Florida

Comments

5 Responses to “Study: Florida Leads The Nation In Length Of Jail Sentences”

  1. David Huie Green on June 8th, 2012 8:59 am

    REGARDING:
    “we are a prison state we make more money off inmates then you might think..”

    The stae doesn’t really make money off of inmates. They cost us.

    Perhaps we could save money by requiring convicts to move to low incarceration states.

    David for protecting Floridians

  2. LolloL on June 8th, 2012 5:00 am

    I also like that we paid for this study… when all they had to do is look at the numbers THIS IS FLORADUH PEOPLE… we are a prison state we make more money off inmates then you might think..

  3. Molino Mom on June 7th, 2012 4:01 pm

    Unless you’re a child molester.
    They usually get NO time. Until they re-offend 3 or 4 more times, then we’re lucky if they even get probation on one of those charges. Our judicial system is a joke, along with 99% of the so called lawyers that defend these disgusting perverts!

  4. aaa bbb on June 7th, 2012 7:04 am

    the lawyer industrial complex loves it this way – they make incredibly more money. its the lawyers stupid. occupy the lawyer/judge/legislator industrial complex – who never drafted the language of the laws using clear concise certain wording. their motto – ambiguity is direct path to greatest wealth.

  5. Kathy on June 7th, 2012 6:31 am

    And its done so much good for the State. We like to spend our tax dollars on prisons in Florida and don’t forget all the privatized prisons they are Florida’s special projects.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News